After yesterday’s post about creating an online presence you can be proud of, I got to thinking about just what a big opportunity this could be for high school applicants. 

Unless a college specifically invites you to send them extra materials (some do), admissions officers don’t want to receive your short stories, recordings, paintings, poems, videos, newspaper clippings, or freshly-baked cookies.  Anything unsolicited is generally seen as more presumptuous than impressive and is quickly tossed aside (or eaten, as might be the case with the cookies).

But imagine if you were able to write on your application:

“I write a blog about my experiences working as editor of our school paper.  It gets over 50,000 page views a month and has 700 subscribers.” 

“Over 5,000 people have downloaded my cookie recipes from my website.”

“My YouTube videos explaining how to throw various types of softball pitches have been viewed more than 100,000 times.” 

If your stats are compelling enough, you’ll pique admissions officers’ curiosities to the point they just might go to a computer to check out your blog or recipes or videos.  And even if they don’t, you’ll still be presenting some convincing arguments that you’re the type of person who can make an impact.